For better debate,Centre plans weekend courses for MPs,MLAs

On the problem of frequent disorder in the legislatures,Chavan said this disregards all the procedures laid down in the House rules.

Inaugurating the conference,Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil said,“The whips can be rightly said to be the managers of the parties within the legislatures. Apart from carrying out their usual duties,the role of the whips has become very important in view of the era of coalition politics. They have this difficult duty of ensuring that the coalition,which is a combination of parties having different ideologies and angularities,functions smoothly. The powers of the whips have also increased tremendously in view of the anti-defection law.”

He said that they should have a strong legal understanding,an equally strong political understanding and also have an understanding of the psychology of the members.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that regular consultation between the government and the leaders and whips of the opposition parties is very essential for the smooth functioning of the legislatures.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said,“Apart from the traditional function of securing the attendance of Members,whips perform diverse functions which keep changing and growing as the society and polity itself changes.

In his inaugural address,Punjab Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon talked in detail about the important role that the whips have to play.

In the conference,102 delegates including ministers,chief whips and whips,are participating.

Cong,SAD whips missing on first day of conference

The whip of Congress party in the Punjab Assembly Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi and Shiromani Akali Dal whip Sawarn Singh Phillaur did not attend the first day of the conference. BJP whip Surjit Kumar Jayani did,however,attend. While Rana Sodhi was not available for comment,his son Hira Sodhi said,”My father was away to Delhi for a family commitment,he will attend the conference on Thursday.”